Kitchen Inspired, M4TW26

This week's Makeup for the Weekend challenger is Christi Snow, and she chose a gorgeous apron from Anthropologie to inspire us. You can go over to the PMS blog to see it.

Of course, I pulled out Tina's Kitchen, and chose the girly apron for my card. I paper pieced it using some Cosmo Cricket Early Bird papers, so fun to do. The layout I used is Jen's SFYTT from the 24th, a fun one with a few layers.

We hope you find time to sample the challenge. Just remember to use the keyword M4TW26 when you upload to any public gallery, then link it up on the PMS blog so we can have a look. Remember, you don't have to use PMS stamps, but if you have them, we'd love it if you did!

Good Courage, MTSC70

Mercy's sketches always seem to help me get quick cards done, here I used MTSC70. I used this wonderful quote from Paper Makeup Stamps, it was released earlier this month. Word Art is another way to assist you in making a quick card. I am typically drawn to line art images because I like to color, but sometimes you just need to stamp, yk? Word Art helps me make a card in a fraction of the time I would normally spend doing so.

I stamped the quote in a light grey for a bit more subtlty. I think it looks great with these October Afternoon papers.

Take Joy

This was for the color challenge for Verve's Beach Party, VSAPRBP1. The colors were orange, green, and aqua; love these colors together. I pulled out Petals & Stems and got to work. I went with a really simple layout since the colors are strong and because the remainder of the Beach Party challenges are sketch challenges. Yep, that means there is ALOT more Verve to show you.

Happy Mother's Day

I was able to participate in a new to me challenge, Color Cue, using some new to me stamps- Woodgrain Silhouettes, and Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions from a new to me company, WPlus9 Design Studio.

The color challenge was pretty challenging to me, these are not colors I would have put together on my own. I decided to go with a really simple layout with a few layers to make it a little easier on myself. All in all, I like it. Thanks for the challenge.

Crate Label Inspiration

I was able to participate in the April 17th Inspiration Challenge at SCS, IC228. I chose this label as my inspiration piece. Let me tell you, I will be visiting that site again, it's loaded with fabulous label art.

I broke out my trusty Apples to Apples set; the apple was colored, trimmed, and mounted onto the nesties shape. Once I added the die cut branch and leaves, I covered the apple with Diamond Glaze.

I tried to stay true to the colors and layout of the label and I think it's a pretty good reproduction. Oh, and how perfect is that American Crafts dp? The final touches were some pleated ribbon and a button.

Fintastic Mermaid

This is the card I made for my niece for her birthday in March. This is Mermaid Emma, got her from All That Scraps forever ago and this is the first time I've used her. It's a shame too, 'cuz she's so cute. The sentiments are from this set, I just placed several of them together to make a background stamp of sorts.

The waves were embossed and I punched it with an EK Success punch. Just a few little accents with Viva Decor pearl and glitter pens and it was done.

Victoria loved it, her favorite color is green. I mean, she has an obsession with it. She'd love to have green hair and even made the argument with her Mom for it....."see Mom, green hair doesn't look so bad; she looks so pretty!" I had to leave my brother and SIL's house shortly after that!

Oh, and I still have some stamps for sale here. Take a look see!

Wake Up!

I had to have this set from Taylored Exressions (plus a few more!). Although I am not much of a coffeee drinker, it seems that I MUST own every single coffee or tea set on the market, I'm not sure why.

Anyway, I used an older Verve sketch and a fun mix of papers. The Viva Decor pearls are my take on coffee beans.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

How I Roll

Today's Makeup for the Weekend challenger is Amber; she wants us to use a rainbow of colors. I used super colorful papers from Basic Grey Nook & Pantry collection. I'm not entirely sure this qualifies for the challenge, but I am "rolling" with it. LOL

I used Guilty Pleasures again, just can't get enough of the kitchen images, especially when gifting food items. I was so delighted that the sentiment to match the rolling pin actually fits on it. *score*

The box is called Cute Carton, from Leigh Ann Baird; I just added the scalloped square to the bottom and a handle to the top. I didn't add much fluff to it since the card is a tad bit loud!

If you decide to take on this challenge, be sure to use the keyword M4TW25 when you upload. You don't have to use Paper Makeup Stamps, but if you have them, let's see 'em! Then, link it up to the PMS blog so we can take a look. We love seeing what you do!

Go Green on Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day and to celebrate, Paper Makeup Stamps is having a sale on all Earth Day related stamps.

Meet George! He is super cool and he is all about recycling. I decided to go VERY green on this card for the special occasion.

I was thrilled to use yesterday's sketch challenge at SCS for this card too, SC277. It's been a bit that I have participated in the sketch challenge there and they are always fun.

Go check out the Paper Makeup Stamps store to see all the goodies Katies has marked down today! My favorite fairy, Sprout, is on sale as well!!

A Reason to Celebrate

I was able to participate in the challenge at Clearly iStamp, CIC11 and Jen's SFYTT. It was a challenging color challenge, and thankfully, the papers did alot of the work.

I used Bitty Botanicals and Bold Bouquet for the image panels; the sentiment is from Heartfelt Sentiments. I don't know about you, but I always like it when I am able to mix pieces from a couple of sets to achieve the look I am going for.

I am pleased to report that this card made the Top 5 over at the Clearly iStamp blog!

Eye Pod

Oh my gosh, this little guy is about as cute as it gets; his name is Eye Pod. I couldn't wait to use him!! In fact, I colored quite a few of the buggers, so you'll be seeing him again soon enough. I'm not sure you can see the Crystal Lacquer on his eye, but it really does add a bit of authenticity to the image.

Birthday Wishes

This little diddy is for the third week of April Viva la Verve challenges; I again went with a green room. I am obsessed with green these days. The room had little pops of blue and red, so I emulated it on this card.

I used three Verve sets, Wishful Elegance, Big Wish, and Floral Symphony. I adore that background stamp, it is just the right size and rather simple to line up. Rhinestones in the center of the flowers finishes it up.

What a short weekend! I ended up having to go shopping for clothes for my son; he shot from a size 8 to a size 12 overnight. Nothing below the waist fits anymore! I can't stand that he is growing up so fast, why won't time slow for just a little bit?

Blessings

The set, Blooming with Blessings, is one that I knew I would have to have. Here I paired it up with some Basic Grey paper, perfect match for the flowers I dare say.

The moment I saw this set, Bless My Bloomers, I was enamored with it. I am so jealous of those with a green thumb! I want to be a fantastic gardener, but it's so hard to plant anything where I live; the red clay isn't conducive to much. But, I have a small deck garden and add to it a little bit each year.

We are adding some blueberry bushes this year and some herbs too. Can't wait for that! Yum-O! In fact, I've already let DH know that next year I want a big herb garden.

Ok, back to the card. I just mixed and matched scrap papers from October Afternoon and Cosmo Cricket that I had and created a layout that worked with them. I LOVE the watering can, so I opted to use it as a planting vessel for those gorgeous red flowers. The cluster of flowers was colored, cut out, and then pop dotted for some dimension!

You Light Up My Life

Here is my card for the second April Viva la Verve challenge; I chose the second inspiration photo and focused mainly on the rug. It was so colorful!

I used a few Verve sets for this card: Wishful Elegance, Let It Shine, and Leaves. Once I stamped all the elements in the colors found in the rug, I added the layered paper flower. I love the unusual mix of colors and the super simple layout! I opted to use alot of "off white" space since that was the color of the walls in the room.

My Makeup for the Weekend

I am this week's Makeup for the Weekend challenger, and my challenge is to use 5 embellishments; they can be all the same or all different.

I used Mercy's sketch from last week, MTSC68 for the layout of the card and paired that with some lovely Basic Grey goodness. I knew I wanted to use this piece of cake from Guilty Pleasures for my focal point. I adore the blue cardstock, Cool Caribbean from SU (I believe). I think I only have a few more sheets of it remaining and will have to find a replacement for it because I just love it.

I hope you can find some time to play along with us this week, the challenge is an easy one! Just be sure to use the keyword M4TW24 when you upload to any public gallery; then link it to the PMS blog so we can all take a look!

You're So Sweet!

I bought this candle strictly for the jar, love the shape of it; I got it at the Dollar General about a month back. I just wanted to cover up the label before I give it as a gift. I stamped the PMS swirl onto white cardstock, then stamped the sentiment onto the textured cardstock strip. The sentiment is one you can get for FREE just by placing an order with Paper Makeup Stamps.

I punched a few flowers from a berry cardstock and adhered them with liquid glue. Once dry, I stuck some dew drops in the centers of each of the flowers.

The lid is decorated with some twill ribbon and a string of pearls. Super simple, but oh so fun!

Easter Joy, VLV

Here is the card I made for my FIL for Easter. I used Verve's Easter Joy set, I really do love it. This is also for the first of the April Viva la Verve challenges; I chose the green living room...obviously. Thankfully, you are provided a sketch along with the inspiration. Once I colored the image and sentiment, I simply cut it out with oval nesties and added some pearls.

Happy Birthday, SSSC61

This is my take on the Sweet Sunday Sketch, SSSC61. I didn't add a lot of frou frou, it was for my DH's birthday in March. I think this one passed as masculine enough for him.

The tree is from Tree for all Seasons available at myStampBOX; the sentiment is from Paper Makeup Stamps Birthday Cheer set. The blue cardstock is from Couture Cardstock and it has a wonderful linen texture that adds a little something without being too overwhelming.

The week is shaping up to be great, the weather is finally cooperating with us and I have been able to get my containers of herbs and flowers out into the sun. Next up are some more greenery and my beloved begonias and geraniums, they last with really no effort on my part. So, I will be heading to the nursery this weekend! Excited to enjoy my deck (and hard work) this summer!!

Duncan

I had a hankering to use Duncan, this super cute baking monster! Then, when I was grocery shopping on Friday night and I saw these cookies, it totally reinforced that idea. I had some American Crafts paper that was the perfect match to the cookies and voila!

I used a sketch from AmyR for this one, a remake of AMYRS8. Perfect!

Just Cuzzz, SSS48

Here is my take on the sketch from March 20th at The Sweet Stop, SSS48. It was a sketch with a spin, the spin was to use flocking. So, I added some white flock to li'l Lily Bee's wings. She's super adorable!

I tell ya, I am so glad to see some signs of spring approaching. The daffodils are out, the leaves are starting to bud, and my son's allergies are in full bloom! I'm not rejoicing the last part, but I am thankful that it seems like spring is here...hopefully to stay. I know I have to take the bad with the good, but the good is just so much better! LOL

I'm a Featured Friend!

I'm April's Featured Friend at Clear Dollar Stamps and I am just ecstatic to have been asked! You can see the post at the Clearly iStamp blog. Thanks Lori and Laurie!

I've enjoyed collecting (and using) Clear Dollar Stamps sets, they are such a great value. And, they have so many different types of sets/ individuals to choose from. I really look forward to their releases, so inspiring.

I picked up this frame some time ago at the Dollar Tree, thinking it would be great for quotes and the like. The panels are just the right size, 2x3. Well, I am thrilled to have finally used it and I could not be happier with the outcome.

I used Bitty Botanicals, a different one for each framed panel. I stamped them in different colors first straight on, then without inking up. I love how it adds another bit of dimension. You can find a tutorial for this technique here.

The sentiments are from Bless My Bloomers and Blooming With Blessings; they really seemed to match the theme I was going for. Don't you love when you can use pieces from several different sets and still have a cohesive look? I know I do!

I have a very good friend that is having a tough time with someone at work, I think this will bring some happiness to her desk. Perhaps it will serve as her "moment of zen."

Thanks so much for stopping by! And, thanks again to Lori and Laurie for the opportunity!!

Covering M4TW23

The winner of my blog candy is Carisa! Congrats Carisa!! Please email me and I'll get all the info I need to get your stamp on its way to you!

Today's Makeup for the Weekend challenger is Lisa Kind, who is challenging us to make a project using a template of some sort.

I used Slip Cover from My Time Made Easy. Once it was cut with my Cricut, it was time to assemble; and it came together so quickly. I cut two mats, that was easy enough to do as well.

The colors of the box were inspired by this Offray ribbon that I have had forever. I colored my stamp from Friendly Flowers with Copic markers and then spritzed the white cardstock with colorless blender solution before stamping. It offers a wonderful watercolorlike effect. I added some liquid pearls to the little dots found around the vines to add a little more softness. Lastly, I colored and cut out the cute butterfly and then just glued it to the edge of the mat.

We do hope you find time to play along with this challenge. You don't have to use PMS stamps, but we'd like to see them if you have them. Use the keyword M4TW23 when you upload; then just link to the PMS blog so we can take a look.

You definitely want to look at the PMS blog to see who else is provding samples this week.

Springtime

I had a chance to use Mercy's sketch, MTSC65. This adorable Heidi was paired with some beautiful SEI papers and spring colors.

I had some fun coloring her, especially that hair. I'm trying to improve on my shadowing skills and leaving some highlights here and there. Of course, I did have to add stickles to her wings, they just don't seem complete without some sparkle.

We had to do some grocery shopping yesterday, much to my chagrin. Duke wanted to drive me since I have been having trouble with my car. He is a slowwww shopper and it drives me crazy; plus Cody is on spring break, so it was double trouble. Thankfully, they parked it on a bench for most of the trip and let me get to it. I will admit, however, it was nice to have someone to carry it all out, and load/ unload it.

PMS April Release Blog Hop

You should have found your way here from Christi's blog. If you haven't started from the PMS Blog, you will want to do that. Each DT member has a letter to a special code that allow you to receive 15% off new releases.

So, this is the day you can get all the goodies you've seen so far. The set being featured today is called Tina's Kitchen; it has 2 aprons and three cool sentiments. The one I used is a favorite- "never trust a skinny cook".

The aprons are two step stamps,very easy to line up with a SAMJ. I thought it would look great paper pieced, I used October Afternoon's Farm Fresh papers; they are just perfect for this set. Then, I totally glitterfied the bottom portion of the apron with Dazzling Diamonds. I would LOVE to own this apron!

Here is a close up of the sentiment, just stamped directly onto the dp.

I have been dying to make this Pick of the Petals box the moment I saw it on Lauren Meader's blog; it is a beauty. The top is not as complicated as it looks, but I did ruin about 3 sheets of cardstock before getting it right. The directions were very clear, but I kept wanting to score opposite of what was pictured. Not my fault, I didn't have enough caffeine!

It is such a roomy box and makes for a beautiful presentation! I put in a jar of chutney from Harry and David and still had a little bit of room for some filler. The lid fits perfectly on top. the medallions are some I got here.

Here is a close up of the label, this is another stamp from the set.

By now, I bet you are wondering about the letter I have for you:

Now, hop on over to see the enormously talented Lisa Kind, I am certain she will have something beautiful to show you.

Don't forget about the Release Party either. The fun starts at 8:00 CST in the Paper Makeup Stamps Forum. Sure hope I see you there.

One last thing, be sure to sign up for my blog candy here.